Legendary Former Indian Batter Sunil Gavaskar Endorses Ravichandran Ashwin for World Cup spot

As the ICC World Cup countdown enters its final stretch, Team India is grappling with a selection conundrum that revolves around the injury status of Axar Patel. The all-rounder, initially part of India’s plans for the Asia Cup, had to withdraw from the finals due to a left quadriceps strain, making way for Washington Sundar as a last-minute replacement.

Axar Patel’s Injury Woes

Axar Patel’s absence was felt keenly in the first two matches against Australia, where India missed his valuable contributions. Initially, there were hopes that he would join the squad for the final encounter scheduled in Rajkot. 

However, it appears that the talented spin all-rounder is still on the path to complete recovery. Reports suggest that Axar is making steady progress at the BCCI‘s National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. His fitness remains a point of concern for the team management, especially with the World Cup just around the corner.

R Ashwin’s Resurgence

While Axar Patel has been sidelined, another seasoned spinner, R Ashwin, has mounted a compelling case for his inclusion in the World Cup squad. After a hiatus of one and a half years, Ashwin returned to the ODI format and made an impact. Though he didn’t get a chance to showcase his batting skills, Ashwin proved to be a wily customer with the ball.

In the two ODIs played thus far, Ashwin has scalped four crucial wickets, underlining his continued prowess as a spinner. This impressive performance has prompted many cricket pundits and enthusiasts to throw their support behind the veteran off-spinner.

Sunil Gavaskar’s Endorsement

One of India’s legendary batsmen, Sunil Gavaskar, weighed in on the Ashwin vs. Axar debate. In an interaction with Star Sports, Gavaskar expressed his opinion, stating, “The way he [Ashwin] has bowled in the last two matches, I think he has made the cut for the World Cup squad. If there is even a hint of doubt on Axar Patel’s fitness, whether he’ll be completely fit for the entire World Cup; because any injury can be a recurring one and he needs to be careful. If the team management think they can’t take that chance with Axar because it is the World Cup and everyone wants their squad to be 100 percent fit; so if there are any doubts then Ashwin could make a comeback.”

While Axar Patel remains part of the Indian squad for the impending World Cup, the window for changes extends until September 28, subject to approval from the ICC. This leaves the team management with a complex decision. They must carefully weigh Axar’s recovery timeline against the consistently impressive performances of R Ashwin.

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